Blue Grand National Horses

Minella Cocooner was part of the team Willie Mullins highlighted to help him win the British Trainers’ Championship and this horse certainly did his bit when victorious in the Bet365 Gold Cup and winning over £95,000 in the process.  That win at Sandown was only Minella Cocooner’s second win over fences and with only a seven pound rise for that big win he looks to have the scope to win some more big pots. As well as winning at Sandown on good ground he had previously been third in the Irish National when four lengths behind Intense Raffles on heavy ground.  This season Mullins has campaigned this horse mainly at Grade One level and he has been comprehensively beaten on his three starts by 25, 41 and 32 lengths. Minella Cocooner's one race outside Grade One level was in the Bobbyjo at Fairyhouse where he showed some improved form to finish fourth just over eight lengths behind the winner, Nick Rockett. Minella Cocooner’s supporters should not lose heart though as it appears the nine-year-old gelding tends to find his best form toward the end of the season. His four best performances on Racing Post ratings have all come from March onwards in the season so there is every chance he can show an improved performance in the Grand National.

Kandoo Kid appears to be the top choice from Paul Nicholls’ five runners as stable jockey Harry Cobden has elected to ride him.  The nine-year-old gelding has already proved himself over the National fences when third in the Topham Chase last April and that run can be marked up further as he lost a shoe during the race. That was Kandoo Kid’s last run of the season and Nicholls aimed him at the red-hot Coral Cup Handicap at Newbury for his fist run back of 24/25 where he was well backed and ran out a good winner, collecting over £142,000.  It appears that Nicholls has been minding Kandoo Kid’s handicap mark since then with only one run over an inadequate 2m 5f trip where he returned well beaten.  This son of Kapgarde has run useful races on all manner of underfoot conditions from good to firm through to heavy so he should be adaptable to whatever going arrives at Aintree but his best run (Coral Gold Cup) was achieved on good to soft conditions.  Stamina for four miles plus would have to be taken on trust as the furthest he has run up to now is twenty-six furlongs but his half-sister Starlet Du Mesnil did finish placed in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris which is run over 3m 6f so connections will be hopeful that stamina will not be an issue. Trainer Paul Nicholls won the Grand National with another grey, Neptune Collonges, in 2012 but his twenty-five runners since then have failed to make the frame. 

Won last year's Midlands Grand National proving he has the stamina for the National test and looks to have been campaigned with this year's Aintree showpiece specifically in mind especially since winning a valuable Ascot Handicap Chase by over 30 lengths in November. He's had just two starts over hurdles since then, a path trodden by many National winners in the past protecting their handicap mark over fences. His jumping has been more accomplished this season, he's won in ground conditions varying from good to soft and heavy and generally likes to race up with the pace which is a positive for the National. Only had the three starts this season so is very fresh and is the right sort of age (9 years old) profile wise of previous National winners. These famous silks were carried to victory in this race by Corbiere in 1983.